"Australia expels Israeli diplomat" by Bloomberg News | May 25, 2010
CANBERRA, Australia — Australia has asked Israel to withdraw a diplomat from Canberra because of the “involvement of state intelligence’’ in fake Australian passports linked to the killing of a senior Hamas official, Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said yesterday.
The passports “were deliberately counterfeited and cloned for use’’ and it was “beyond doubt’’ that Israel was responsible, Smith told reporters in Canberra. He didn’t identify the diplomat, saying the official was asked to leave Australia “within a week.’’
Yeah, they do this stuff all the time.
Australian police and intelligence services investigated the “abuse’’ of four Australian passports used by people involved in the killing of Mahmoud al-Mabhouh in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in January. Other suspects traveled on British, Irish, French, and German documents.
Australia “remains a firm friend of Israel,’’ Smith said yesterday, adding that genuine friendship must run “both ways.’’
With friends like them....
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Israel regrets Australia’s decision, Foreign Ministry spokesman Yigal Palmor said by phone yesterday. The step is “not in line with the quality and importance of our relationship,’’ he said.
No one cares what you guys think anymore, sorry.
Australia’s government “takes this step much more in sorrow than in anger or in retaliation,’’ Smith said in a statement to Parliament, after the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade called in Israel’s charge d’affaires.
“This is not what we expect from a nation with whom we have had such a close, friendly, and supportive relationship,’’ Smith told lawmakers. “Australia’s relationship with Israel has always been founded on a basis of mutual respect and trust. But Israel’s actions in this regard have undermined that respect and trust.’’
And ONCE YOU DO THAT you never really get it back.
Sort of the way I feel about my morning newspaper.
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Filler.
